they're arriving from all over, for a final audience and farewell to the faithful. a moment these three students from santa barbara couldn't miss. >> it's history in the making. >> reporter: one final chance to see benedict xvi in the pope mobile. one final chance to see him speak. >> this is such a monumental time. no pope has resigned, the way he has done. and it's something that we have to see. >> reporter: tomorrow, benedict will officially retire to quiet prayer and meditation. the beatification will be captured live by 26 cameras. spectators started lining up before sunrise. they're full of devotion. benedict made the catholic church deeply concerned by corruption, cronyism and scandal. one of his final private meetings with the so-called 007 cardinals, who reportedly wrote about gay priests and blackmail in a controversial dossier. los angeles cardinal mahoney is here, even though he resigned and is accused of sealing the crimes of pedophile priests. >> i don't know if he said

there's all these scandals, i have to resign. i think the weight of the job on someone who is relatively frail and very old, you know, just took its toll. and it was time for him to go. >> reporter: benedict will live in this converted convent and become pope emeritus. he will give up his red shoes but will continue to wear white. >> he really wants to return to his old role as a scholar. read books. write books. >> reporter: he's known as the scholar pope. and this morning, the devoted are giving thanks. >> it's one of those events in life you shouldn't miss. >> reporter: and tomorrow, the pope will say good-bye to his cardinals before leaving here on his helicopter. it's the final and perhaps the most memorable act of st. peter's 265th successor. rob? diana? >> people are out in force. it's people from all over the world, we're talking here. >> reporter: i talked to people from america, from europe, from asia, this morning. tens of thousands of people out

braving the cold this morning. it's a beautiful day. but there's a really diverse crowd. and they don't really want to hear anything about these scandals we've been talking about in the media. they're really here to just say good-bye and to give their thanks. >> history in the making, as you said. abc's nick schifrin at the vatican live for us this morning. thanks, nick. we'll have live coverage from rome throughout the morning, including complete coverage coming up in just a little while on "good morning america." and our other big story right now, what's left of the blizzard that pounded the nation's middle section. there's still plenty of it left over. storm watches and warnings posted this morning from missouri all the way to maine. >> and chicago has been taking a direct hit throughout the night. when it started yesterday afternoon, the snow was falling at about an inch an hour. around 500 flights have been canceled at chicago's 2, big airports. and snow is expected there through the day. >> a major problem because of the snow's weight is collapsing roofs. that one caught on camera in kansas city.

another collapsed in oklahoma killed a man. he's one of three people who died because of the blizzard. the experts say a foot of heavy wet snow on your roof can add up to 20 pounds per square foot. that's the same as several parked cars. in colorado, the blowing snow there has motorists stranded on an interstate. it also forced about 50 students to spend the night at their school. conditions got so bad yesterday afternoon, their buses had to go back to the school. there's no class today. but the kids still have to get home. two days, now, until massive federal budget cuts are set to kick in. and the effects are already being felt. indianapolis had to cancel its annual air show because the military jets, which play a big role, have been grounded. but no official talks on this crisis are scheduled yet. abc's tahman bradley reports, now, from washington. >> reporter: with just two days left before the automatic spending cuts, democrats and republicans sound frustrated. >> we should not have to move a third bill before the senate

gets off their ass and begins to do something. >> i was raised in a little town that had 13 brothels in it. i'm used to pretty salty language, as you know. he should understand who is sitting on their posterior. >> reporter: the two sides blame each other. speaker boehner says president obama is demanding additional tax revenue without putting forward a plan of his own. the president says it's republicans who are holding up the deal. >> there's too many republicans in congress right now who refuse to compromise even an inch. >> reporter: without agreement, at the stroke of midnight tomorrow, $85 billion in automatic budget cuts go into effect. the cuts are drastic and can affect everything from children's vaccinations, tsa screenings, even meat inspections. and in an effort to save money, the department of homeland security has been forced to release hundreds of nonviolent undocumented immigrants who are waiting for court hearings. the fed chairman talked about the cuts impact on the economy.

>> the equivalent of about 750,000 jobs. it would be a drag on near-term economic recovery. >> reporter: and, rob and diana, if you're expecting a last-ditch effort to strike a deal, think again. president obama and congressional leaders have no phone calls or meetings on their official schedules. rob and diana? >> tahman bradley, live in washington. thank you. and in other news, it's expected to be an emotional day in the senate, as lawmakers consider a revamped assault weapons ban. among those expected to testify are the parents of a child killed at sandy hook elementary. the nra meanwhile, has vowed to fight any restrictions on gun ownership, including that assault weapons ban. gun violence has taken the lives of two police detectives in santa cruz, california. the cops were killed in a shoot-out while they were investigating a sexual assault. the suspected shooter was killed while being chased by police. one of the dead officers was a 28-year veteran. the other had 14 years with the department. and the parents of trayvon martin have just marked one year since he was shot and killed by

a neighborhood watchman in florida. they attended a candlelight vigil in new york, joined by actor jamie foxx, and hundreds others, many of them wearing hoodies. the shooting of the unarmed 17-year-old set off a national outcry over race issues and stand your ground laws. coming up next, new rankings of the most reliable cars on the road. but where are the american brands? plus, a major lawsuit against the world's biggest brewer. and popular brands like budweiser, being watered down? >> say it ain't so. and new details on the explosion of that hot air balloon over egypt.

welcome back. the number of jobs on wall street is down but not bonuses. the financial industry is expected to pay out $20 billion in cash bonuses this year. that's an 8% increase over last year. and there are 1,000 fewer jobs on wall street than a year ago. some of the bonuses are deferred compensation. and the total is much less than before the recession. well, there may be some confrontations at today's apple shareholder meeting. some investors are insisting the company share some of the $137 billion in cash it's sitting on. apple stock, though, has lost more than one-third of its value since the peak back in september. and some say apple simply has lost its lead in technology. yahoo! says its ban on working from home is not meant to make any kind of statement about the practice. only about what's right for yahoo! employees. yahoo! workers tell "the new york times," the work ethic at yahoo! had deteriorated.

and some of their co-workers were abusing the perk. some had started their own companies while, quote, on the clock at yahoo! detroit is striking out at an annual auto survey. "consumer reports" says the best auto brands sold in the u.s. are japanese. lexus, subaru and mazda. u.s. automakers were hurt by reliability and didn't crack the top ten. cadillac was the top american name plate. that number was at 14, though. in general, luxury brands did much better than the more basic lines for that same company. and maybe this bud's not for you. beer drinkers are suing the company that makes budweiser for allegedly watering down its brews to boost profits. the class-action lawsuit claims there's less alcohol than stated on the labels for bud, michelob and other brands. anheuser-busch says that's completely false. the company controls 39% of the u.s. beer market. let's get to the bottom of that.

seriously. don't ruin my weekend. >> upset about that. next on this wednesday, shark attack. a deadly encounter this morning at a popular beach. and we'll have the latest. also this morning, a big announcement from the one and only barbara walters. [ male announcer ] this is kevin.

to prove to you that aleve is the better choice for him, he's agreed to give it up. that's today? [ male announcer ] we'll be with him all day as he goes back to taking tylenol. i was okay, but after lunch my knee started to hurt again. and now i've got to take more pills. ♪ yup. another pill stop. can i get my aleve back yet? ♪ for my pain, i want my aleve. ♪ [ male announcer ] look for the easy-open red arthritis cap. ♪ avoid bad.fats. don't go over 2000... 1200 calories a day. carbs are bad. carbs are good. the story keeps changing. so i'm not listening... to anyone but myself. i know better nutrition when i see it: great grains. great grains cereal starts whole and stays whole. see the seam? more processed flakes look nothing like natural grains. you can't argue with nutrition you can see. great grains. search great grains and see for yourself.

to help support a healthy metabolism try new great grains protein blend in cinnamon hazelnut or honey, oats and seeds. ahh, cloudy glasses. you didn't have to come over! easy. hi. cascade kitchen counselor. look! over time, a competing gel can leave cloudy hard water deposits, but cascade complete pacs help leave glasses sparkling. cascade. love it or your money back. another look, this morning, at the vatican, where an enormous crowd has gathered for pope benedict's final public audience. some of the cardinals who will elect benedict's successor are there, as well. benedict's resignation becomes official tomorrow, the 28th. eventually, he will live at a converted convent inside of the walls of the vatican. and now, checking the road conditions here at home. snowy conditions caused plenty of problems in the midwest, around the great lakes, and into new england. wet for the evening commute in the northwest. >> if you're flying today,

expect delays and cancellations in chicago and detroit. the rain makes for a messy morning commute around new york city and in boston. the women's basketball team from the university of maine has been involved in a terrifying bus crash. >> nearly two dozen players were heading to boston university for a game when the bus ran off i-95 last night and ended up in the woods. the coach and some of the students suffered minor cuts and some bruises. the bus driver, who was seriously injured, may have had a medical episode right before the crash. the game that was supposed to take place tonight has now been postponed. hot air balloon flights over the egyptian city of luxor have been suspended while police investigate yesterday's deadly crash. 19 people were killed when their balloon caught fire and then plunged to the ground. all of the victims, except for the pilot, were foreign tourists. and some in egypt say lax security standards are to blame for that accident. and that's a shark, said to be responsible for killing a man

this morning in new zealand. it's said to be between 12 and 14 feet long. police in a rescue boat forced it away from the male victim by firing gunshots. they say he was in his 40s and was swimming about 650 feet out in the water when the attack took place. a california couple who vanished in peru a month ago have been found. peruvian authorities say garrett hand and jamie neal were spotted on a boat and were surprised to learn they had been reported missing. the couple was on a biking trip when they suddenly stopped communicating with friends and family. tourism officials say they will take pictures of the pair today to prove they are, indeed, alive and well. perhaps this will be the last story about new jersey's infamous tanning mom. a grand jury has refused to bring charges against patricia krentcil. she's been accused of endangering the welfare of a child by bringing her daughter

to a tanning salon. prosecutors say the case is now officially over. wonderful news to share about our colleague, barbara walters. as she told the ladies of "the view," barbara will be on the broadcast next monday. she's been sidelined with a series of health problems, including a fall and the chicken pox. but barbara says she's had enough rest and it's time to come back to work. >> now that we ever doubted she would. now, some sports news this morning. it has happened yet again. we get all the information, now, from espn. >> good morning. i'm cassidy hubbarth with your "sportscenter" update. another upset in college basketball. number one indiana taking on minnesota at the barn. 20 seconds to go. victor oladipo in the corner. denied by rodney williams. look how high williams gets for the block. and minnesota upsets number one indiana. and the fans, deservingly, storm the court. the miami heat were looking to extend their 11-game winning

streak. taking on the kings. just over five minutes to go in the game. lebron splits the defenders and gets the foul. heat up six. now, sacramento with a chance to tie. jamarcus cousins with the putback. ties the game at 112-112, with eight seconds left. ensuing heat possession. wade, with the fadeaway. no good. this would head to overtime. in extra time, still tied at 112-112. lebron, goes behind the back and draws the foul. james finished with a season-high 40 points. over a minute left. thomas puts the kings up one. five seconds left, tied at 124-124. wade, nice bounce pass to lebron. he gets blocked by john salmons. and this game would go to a second overnight. in double-o.t., the heat take charge. lebron, gets it to chris bosh. lebron finished with a career-high 16 assists. the heat win, 141-129. that's your "sportscenter" update. i'm cassidy hubbarth. have a great morning.

>> thanks a lot, cassidy. up next in "the pulse," this morning, we're taking you inside the most expensive rental in the entire country. $600,000 a month. >> wow. and we're about to set sail aboard the "titanic 2." we'll be right back. all over.ing with p- the intense ache made it hard to do the things that i wanted. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. so now, i can do more of the things i enjoy. lyrica is not for everyone. it may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, changes in eyesight including blurry vision,

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beverly hills estate. it's now on the rental market for a cool $600,000 a month. that's believed to be the country's most expensive rental anywhere. >> i would hope so. and you'll get some history, though, for your money. jackie and jfk honeymooned there. and before that, william randolph hearst and marion davies called it home. and also, on top of that, it served as a movie set for parts of "the godfather" and "the bodyguard." >> is it gold-plated? >> it would have to be. some people, including myself, happen to find the next little bit of information a little crazy. a billionaire businessman is building a replica of the "titanic." and it's ready to sail in late 2016. >> i think this story's really cool. some family members of those who died are onboard with this project. and thousands of others have expressed interest in buying tickets. "the titanic 2" will trace the root of its namesake, from

southampton in england, to new york city. you wouldn't do that. i would do it in a heartbeat. that's cool. it's history. >> we know what happened with the first one. >> put on your floaties. you'll be all right. here's a question for you. could diversity be coming to pbs's wildly popular "downton abbey"? producers are reportedly advertising for a black actor to join the show's cast. >> he would play a musician called jack ross. and be part of a story line about race relations back in the 1920s. no word on whether this would be a recuring role or just part of an episode or two. >> hmm. wonder if they need a hispanic girl. >> there you go. that show is paying well. very popular. >> they kill people off apparently. and a woman who had a chance to walk away with thousands of dollars has returned that money to its rightful owner. >> this is pat westner. she is posing now with a new york state trooper after picking up more than $11,000 in crash. she was driving behind a brinks truck when money was going anywhere.

the truck kept going. she stopped, gathered the money and called police. >> no one was around. so, she could have kept the money quite easily, in fact. but she said, it's not my money. >> good for her. >> would you do the same, america? think about that. we'll be right back. but, you know, if you're still bent on blowing this fat stack of cash, there's a couple of ways you could do it. ♪ ♪ or just go to e-trade and save it. boom. ♪

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>> abc7 news starts right now with live breaking news. >> it is 4:28 on wednesday morning. thanks for joining us. >> the break news is in san francisco where homes and cars are flood after a water main break that happened in the past two hours. abc7 news reporter amy hollyfield is live. amy? >> look at this: standing water here at the intersection of 15th avenue. that is sewage water. it is a gross mess. look at cars. you can see how high the water came up looking at the muddy mess on the lower half of the

cars. officials say what happened is a 16" water main broke. this is not water from the water system. this is from the sewage system because the sewage system was backed up because of the water main break. the sue average had nowhere to go. here it is, in the street. also, in people's homes. let me pan you to this house, the people who live here are in their garage trying to clean up. their home, they say, flooded, they do believe it is water, though, but he is not sure he said it doesn't smell so they hope it is just clean water that came in the home. they moved in two weeks ago. now they are dealing with this. very upset family over here. a beautiful home and and now their home is flooded. they do not have running water so that has been turned off in the neighborhood. folks say it was worse recently but it has receded in the last few minutes. it started at 3:00 this morning.

it is still a huge mess out here. officials do not have a handle on how many cars have been damaged or destroyed and how many homes have flooded. all we know now is a 16" water main broke, sewage water in the street. officials are trying to figure what to do. bad situation. we the check back with you. aright now a check on the weather forecast this week. >> we start with current temperatures. about 32 in napa and 31 in fair. frost is trying to form but the air is so dry it is hard to develop. los gatos is 37 and half moon bay and novato at livermore. >> today, you can see a few more clouds in the sky than yesterday. it will be mild in the low-to-upper 60's at bay and

upper 60's inland. now, traffic. >> we are going to the golden gate bridge with road work on the north portion of the span and the caution light is blinking and the arrows motioning you to the left. only one lane if the northbound direction with two in the southbound direction beyond the road work and, otherwise, it is smooth sailing with light traffic. we have an incident going on at the bay bridge toll plaza a couple of c.h.p. cars are here, they are doing some sort of painting on the toll lanes three, four, and five and they are now blocked off for the time being and as amy hollyfield told us, we have a water main break in san francisco on the west portal district at 15th and you will want to avoid that area. you can use the main drag which is west portal to stay away from this intersection. >> this morning, county sheriff